Main Menu

Designed by John Dempsey, the Phantom is a single-seat single-engined high-wing monoplane with conventional three-axis control. Wing has unswept leading and trailing edges, and constant chord; cruciform tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin-mounted rudder; roll control by full-span ailerons; control inputs through stick for pitch/roll and pedals for yaw. Wing braced from above by kingpost and cables, from below by cables; wing profile; double-surface. Undercarriage has three wheels in tricycle formation with tailskid; bungee suspension on all wheels. Push-right go-right nosewheel steering connected to yaw control. Optional brakes on main wheels. Aluminium-tube framework, with pod. Engine mounted above wing driving tractor propeller.

Conceived under the direction of John Dempsey, the Phantom copied in 1982 the exploits of the Mirage in the previous year at Sun 'n' Fun where it carried off the prize for the most outstanding aircraft.

The Phantom is capable of a rate of roll, going from 45 degrees bank to 45 degrees bank the other way in 1.5 s. The wing has been tested as far as + 9.9 and - 6.6 g ultimate with the aircraft at a gross of 420 lb (190kg) which would give a flight envelope of +6.6 and -4.4g. These tests were done with 3/32 inch (2.4 mm) cables which on the production aircraft have been increased to 1/8 inch (3.2 mm).

The aircraft is delivered as a kit requiring 35 h for finishing at a price of $5995 in 1983. Options include principally, floats, wheel fairings, an instrument panel and, as with the Mirage MkII, the Cuyuna 430RL engine, since the Phantom is fitted with the Kawasaki TA440A as standard in the United States.

For Europe, the Skyriders company in Britain fits a Robin engine and a larger fuel tank and, since the aircraft thus modified has different performance characteristics etc.

Later marketed as the Phantom Sport Airplane Corp Phantom X1 and X2. The X2 being a two seat adaptation of the X1.